Harry Potter and the Hidden Past
by Godric'sGrl01
Summary: Harry 7th Year at Hogwarts and secrets become unravelled. The future of the Wizarding World will be decided. Who Is Marie and what part does she play? Spoilers for HBP and OOTP.


**Harry Potter and the Hidden Past.**

**Disclaimer: **Based upon the Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling. J.K. Rowling owns anything you recognise. I only own the plot and Marie.

Harry Potter was lying in bed for the last time at his relative's house in Little Whinging, Surrey. Tomorrow he would be turning seventeen and would start his search for the Horcruxes that each contained a part of the soul of the dark wizard Voldemort, who everyone still called You-Know-Who. After finding the rest of the seven Horcruxes he would be able to finally destroy the wizard who had been after him since his birth and the person who had killed his parents on that fateful Halloween night. Tomorrow he would be visiting Godric's Hollow for the first time since that night. He was going to see the place where it had all happened, where his life had gone from being happy and carefree to the misery he felt at the Dursleys. To be able to visit his parent's graves - to say goodbye - was going to be hard but Harry felt he needed to do it. This summer had been a lot better than any others, he had told his aunt and uncle that he was staying until his birthday when he would be leaving. That day he would be considered an adult in the Wizarding World and could finally use magic outside of classes. His relatives had heard the word magic and decided to just ignore the boy, as he would be gone soon enough.

* * *

In another part of the house the clock struck midnight and flapping of owl's wings could be heard, bringing him his presents. He opened the window to let them in and noticed that he only had two owls this year. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, his best friends were seeing him later that day and had not sent anything like they normally would have. This was it, the day where he would finally start to bring an end to the chaos of the Wizarding world, and get to see his parents, even if it was only their graves.

* * *

Far to the north of England another person was receiving presents from friends for their birthday. Marie Brown was a quiet Gryffindor girl who was looking forward to her last year at Hogwarts. Many things would be different this year after the death of the Headmaster last year. Marie was waiting for an owl from her best friend, Amanda, also a Gryffindor seventh year. Amanda had hinted at something extra special this year and her friend had yet to disappoint. Marie had spent the holidays reading through her parent's elaborate library, she loved reading books on Arithmancy and Transfiguration because she wanted to become an Animagus. So far she had found lots of information about theory but nothing about how to actually do it. To her delight, she discovered Amanda's gift was nothing less than the _Complete Illustrated Guide to Becoming an Animagus_! Marie was over the moon.

One day as she was poring over her present in the library her parents both came in and asked to talk to her. The expression on their faces was enough to send Marie into a panic. What had happened, was someone she knew dead? Her parents had decided it was time to tell her that she had been adopted and that beyond that they knew nothing about her background. Albus Dumbledore had cast an adoption charm on Marie so she looked and behaved, as a true daughter of theirs would have done. Marie was shocked. Was Marie even her real name?

While Marie struggled to come to terms with this life-changing discovery, the Daily Prophet reported on a mysterious occurrence in the Department of Mysteries within the Ministry of Magic. Apparently for some unknown reason the veil within the Death Chamber had been ripped in two. Nobody understood what this meant and for the next several days the Daily Prophet had been full of speculation about just what had happened and what it meant. Had You-Know-Who managed to harness the power of the veil? Was there such a thing as the power of the veil? As usual, it seemed nobody knew the answer.

However by the time September the first came the furore had died down and the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were once again boarding the Hogwart's Express. Marie was busy seeking out her best friend to thank her for the fantastic present! She had spent the rest of summer researching about the adoption charm and trying to find out exactly what it was and how to break it and also learning about the process of Animagus transformation. She had still to work out what her form was. It was very frustrating. After finding her friend they found seats and chatted about their summers all the way to Hogwarts.

The first few months of school had flown by full of revision for their tests and admonitions from their teachers. ("If you don't open that book how do you expect to pass?")

On a warm afternoon in Late October, Marie and Amanda were taking a much needed study break and were sitting under a large tree on the grounds not far from the lake, watching the giant squid and talking about what they would do after Hogwarts and what their parents hoped they would do and their earliest memories of their parents. Amanda remembered her mother reading her stories before bedtime and her father adding all the necessary sound effects. Marie had laughed at that. She was finding that she was starting to remember more about her early childhood, at least the people in it were not her adopted parents so she assumed it was her real parents. She was managing to push the charm to its limits and her memories were coming back.

"I remember sitting on someone's lap watching my Dad and his best friend who had transformed into animals and were play-fighting in the lounge. Mum came in and started yelling at them. They were setting a bad example for the kids. I loved it; I thought they were funny. All I remember was my Dad's friend's nickname was Padfoot. I know that because Mum was always yelling at him to try and behave. It was funny."

"Padfoot? That's a weird nickname. Where did it come from?"

"I have no idea" Marie finished, with a frown, trying to remember the reason behind the nickname.

The two girls spent the rest of the afternoon chatting before heading into the Great Hall for dinner.

* * *

Sirius Black was stumped. The last thing he remembered was fighting that awful cousin of his and then nothing. He woke up to find himself on the floor in the Death Chamber all alone. Not knowing how long it had been or where everyone was he decided to get out of the Ministry and find Harry. Transforming into Padfoot, he made his way slowly to Hogwarts, and Harry.

On Halloween, after many weeks travelling and eating barely anything he finally made it to Hogsmeade, the tiny Wizarding village near Hogwarts. He decided the best way to enter the school was through the Forbidden Forest. Deciding to keep to the outer fringes of the forest he managed to come out at Hogwarts near the lake. He had just decided to wait until dark to try and get up to the school itself when he spotted his fellow Marauder Remus Lupin, a.k.a. Moony, looking wearier than ever.

'He must be teaching again this year' Sirius thought to himself. He made his way over to the part of the forest nearest where Lupin was and tried to get his attention. Not an easy feat. Finally he was successful and a tearful Marauder wrapped him in a hug. 'I've been away for awhile', he thought, 'Moony never gets teary'. They retreated into the forest a bit and caught up on each other. Finally Lupin had to go, he was on duty to make sure no students were attacked, nowhere was safe.

After he left Sirius went back to his position near the lake and was enjoying the feel of the sun on his fur for the first time in ages when he heard his name. Or rather his nickname, from a girl he didn't recognise. She was talking to another girl about her earliest memories and had mentioned her Dad and Padfoot playing. Sirius was again stumped. No girl would have that memory except . . . except for Harry's twin sister Megan. She was dead though, wasn't she? Sirius scratched his head. In the aftermath of that horrible Halloween he wasn't sure what had happened to Megan Potter

- he had assumed that she had died along with Lily and James. Maybe she had survived, but how? Too perplexed to think straight he decided to talk to Moony, the smart Marauder!

As Sirius wandered around the forest trying to think of a way to contact Moony without drawing unwanted attention to himself he found his solution, or rather he fell into it! He got up and looked around him to find himself in a dark passage that seemed to lead towards Hogwarts. Considering Hogwarts was where he needed to go he decided to follow it. He hoped he would be able to see Harry soon.

'I wonder what Harry is doing right now?' thought Sirius.

* * *

Hermione rolled to the ground to avoid a curse as she and Ron worked at distracting the Death Eaters while Harry tried to destroy the real Slytherin's locket, which had been hidden by Regulus Black - the mysterious RAB mentioned in the fake locket.

Ron fired off a curse that stunned a Death Eater while he dived and fired at another. Finally there was a loud explosion that signalled Harry's successful destruction of the locket. This was followed by pops as the Death Eaters all disapparated.

"Cowards," snarled Ron, "always run at the first sign of defeat."

Harry, ashen faced and weak with the power it had taken to destroy the Horcrux, could only nod.

* * *

After many steep steps, twists and turns the end of the tunnel could be seen – it was a solid wall. As Padfoot pawed against it, the door opened and he overbalanced and fell out landing on Lupin, who had been sitting at his desk. After discovering that Moony still knew many hexes and was very quick at firing them off but luckily also knew the counters for them, Sirius told him about the passage and what he'd overheard Marie say. After arguing about why it could not possibly be Megan Potter, that she must have died that Halloween they were forced to admit that the only logical explanation was that she had not died and was in fact Marie Brown. Sirius begged Lupin to get Marie to stay behind after class when she next had it, Lupin agreed.

The next day was a beautiful day but Marie didn't feel it. She had been having nightmares and they were steadily getting worse, that night had been the worst so far. It had also been Halloween night, though Marie did not realise the significance of that. Her classes that day were long and boring and she found herself almost falling asleep over her potion and she actually did sleep in History of Magic, luckily no one noticed. Her last class of the day was Defence Against the Dark Arts with Professor Lupin. Marie again had trouble staying awake and this time somebody did notice, the Professor.

'I wonder why she's so sleepy? She's almost dozed off 5 times! It's most unusual for Miss Brown.' Thought Professor Lupin determined more than ever to get her to stay behind after class.

Finally class ended and he asked Miss Marie Brown to stay behind while the others left. Amanda shot her friend a questioning look before leaving the room. Making her way up the front to the Professor she then followed him into his office and after closing, locking and casting silencing charms he introduced her to Padfoot. After overcoming her shock they talked for hours about her adoption, who she really was, how they knew her. They even asked her about the memory Padfoot had overheard and were able to fill in the bits of information she hadn't known.

"Why am I getting these memories back now?" asked Marie, with a quizzical expression on her face.

Remus sat back in his chair and thought for a moment before replying, "I would guess it is because of Professor Dumbledore's death. The Charm caster has died so it is weakened and your own magical power weakens it further. That is why you are starting to get these early memories back. The charm had hidden them as well as your true appearance when it was cast."

"Is that why my nightmares are getting worse? Halloween night was the worst I have ever had them. Normally I just sense emotions, fear, confusion, and sadness. Last night I could hear maniacal laughter as well as a searing pain in my shoulder. Could I be remembering that night?"

"Sounds like it, I don't understand the shoulder pain though. I know how to lift the rest of that charm - how about I do that and we can have a look at your shoulder?"

"Won't that make me look like Harry? Is there a way I can go back to how I look now after the adoption charm is gone?"

Sirius, who had been lounging on the couch deep in thought, suddenly spoke up, "We could always cast a _glamour _on you. To anyone else you'd look and act that same as before but we can drop the _glamour_ when you come to visit us. That gives you time to get used to your new appearance too."

"Ok, can you do it now, Professor?"

Remus looked pained for a moment before saying, "Marie, you don't have to call me Professor, I was your Uncle Moony when you were young, you could always call me that or just Moony. I am your godfather too; it seems weird if you call me Professor. As to the charm, your wish is my command."

With that comment Moony waved his wand and chanted something that sounded like Latin and the girl in front of them shimmered before changing appearance. Long, straight brown hair was replaced by long, curly black hair, whilst her eyes went from a non-descript brown to a very noticeable green. They looked exactly like her brother's and her Mum's. Padfoot and Moony just looked on in amazement, Megan Potter was definitely not dead, she stood before them very much alive.

Moony was the first to break the silence, "How do you feel?"

Marie/Megan looked down at herself, even her skin colour had changed slightly. "I feel fine, my memories are a lot clearer too. That memory you overheard, I think I was sitting on Moony's knee, and Mum had been in the nursery with Harry, he had been sick. You guys had been entertaining me. I still remember all the times Mum used to yell at Padfoot!"

"Yes, well, can we not focus on that?" asked Sirius, somewhat sheepishly.

Moony laughed, "You would deliberately anger her and then try and make a run for it. It was never going to work. Meg, do you mind if I call you that?" Megan shakes her head, "that nightmare, do you recall anymore about it? Show us your shoulder."

Megan looked at them before moving her top slightly so her shoulder was in view. There, across the back of her left shoulder was a large lightning bolt scar.

"Well, that explains the shoulder pain, though not exactly how you got it." Sirius said, looking as though he was trying to solve some complex puzzle.

"If Harry was sitting in his cot, which is where you found him Sirius, then Megan had probably also been there. I would say Megan had jumped in front of her brother and the curse from You-Know-Who hit her first and then a bit hit Harry; that is why his scar is small in comparison. If that is the case why was only Harry protected from the Wizarding World?"

That question had them all stumped and so they decided to think on it and catch up later. Before they left a _glamour_ was cast on Megan to return her to looking like Marie and she left.

Over the rest of the school year Megan (as she was coming to think of herself) would catch up with Moony and Padfoot, or often just her godfather. They had long chats about life, her adopted parents and even the process of becoming an Animagus. At one point Harry returned to see Padfoot, having heard he was back and had met his twin sister. He quickly got over his initial hesitation and they grew quite close. It was during one of Megan's chats with Moony that Sirius came barging in declaring that Voldemort and his Death Eaters had arrived; the final battle would begin.

Part way through the battle many Death Eaters had fallen, including Severus Snape who had been hit with a slicing hex from Hermione. Finally all attention focussed on Harry and Voldemort and Nagini. Harry currently had Nagini and was working at destroying the snake as it was the last Horcrux. It exploded with an almighty bang that cleared and showed Harry on the ground, unconscious. The amount of power it had taken to destroy the last Horcrux had completely drained him. The side of Light panicked and so did Megan. No one was taking away her brother; she had only recently found him! She ran over to where Harry was and grabbed Gryffindor's sword from him and raised it above her head and prayed that Harry would recover. A shield burst out from the sword and surrounded Voldemort, who had just cast _Avada Kedavra_ at the annoying girl. His curse hit the shield and ricocheted around the shield killing the Dark Lord.

No one could believe it; a girl had saved them, not Harry, the boy-who-lived. What no one had realised was that Voldemort and Dumbledore had both assumed the one mentioned in the prophecy and the one that had defeated You-Know-Who that fateful night had been Harry. It had in fact been Megan and her love for her brother and unwillingness to let harm come to him that had resulted in the downfall.


End file.
